Amazon Aurora – Enterprise Database

Aurora is currently MySQL compatible, and they are working on a PostgreSQL version as well.  This offering means that you can use all of your tools and knowledge with MySQL to administer and develop on Aurora.  There is no need to think of an Aurora solution as anything other than a production MySQL database.  An instance can be brought up in minutes.  The size and power, along with credentials, is all you need to get started.

Of course, this Begs the question, why use Aurora when MySQL is available?  It is due to the high-end features provided for an Aurora instance.  MySQL is perfect for development and can easily be utilized on a free tier server.  However, when it is time to go to production, there are measures that are worth taking.  These steps include security related features like encryption at rest and stability features like a distributed server in multiple zones.  Aurora has all of these features and highly available backup included as part of the solution.

It is important to note that there is no free tier option for Aurora.  If the free tier is what you want, then look at MySQL on EC2 or MariaDB.  We look at these in other posts.  The ability to transition from these free options to Aurora is one of its strengths.  Development and testing can be done at no cost.  Thus, there is plenty of money available to provide the best production solution.  The low-end version of Aurora runs about $10 per month and goes up in cost based on size and speed of the environment.  Therefore it is entirely affordable for even a small company that needs to comply with costly regulations.  This solution is perfect for those that need to be HIPPA or PCI/DSS compliant.

Amazon offers several database solutions.  There are relational and NoSQL options among a lengthy list of services.  Aurora is one of the options to consider for any company that wants to be comfortable with their chosen method to store data.